Overview
- The Spanish film academy confirmed the actor's death on Thursday, July 30, 2026, and multiple outlets report he had been battling cancer though the precise type and timeline were not disclosed.
- Born Manuel Jesús Fernández Serrano in Algeciras, he built a 30‑plus year career across film, theatre, television, dubbing and music and was widely regarded as a leading Spanish character actor.
- Solo won the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2017 for Tarde para la ira and received several later Goya nominations for films including B, El buen patrón, Cerrar los ojos and Una quinta portuguesa.
- His agency announced a public farewell at the Tanatorio de San Isidro in Madrid and colleagues, cultural bodies and political figures issued immediate condolences praising his craft and professionalism.
- Several of his recent performances played at festivals but have not reached general release, leaving audiences and cinemas to see what critics hailed as some of his final major work.